AudioPhix

No matter which side one might lean on politically, a political party or politician using a musical artist's song can be tricky. Basically, the tune is being used to back up a message that the artist isn't necessarily saying themselves. Many times, they might not agree with how the track is used. That is the case this week with the White House using Ariana Grande's 2024 song, "Bye," in a TikTok reel about immigration.

At Game 4 of the 2026 NBA Finals, Taylor Swift sat courtside with the Haim family wearing a blue shirt with orange lettering (the color of the Knicks) with wording that read, "Stevie Knicks." The entire friend group wore the same kind of shirt, designed by Este and Alana Haim. And now, assuming you love everything that Swift wears and want something like her clothes of your own, you can buy the shirt. Sort of.

When thinking about the latest music documentary directed by Ahmir Khalib Thompson – AKA Questlove – it may be helpful to consider the subtitle. In fact, it may be useful to look at how the subtitles have evolved over the course of his three primary feature documentaries.

On Thursday, Taylor Swift became the youngest woman ever inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame. The 36-year-old has certainly earned her way as a fantastic lyricist and made her musical bones by writing her songs from the beginning of her career. Before she delivered an emotional speech that thanked her family and fans, film director Steven Spielberg did an introduction for her.

Taylor Swift has already dropped the radio version of "I Knew It, I Knew You" from the upcoming Toy Story 5, and while rumors abounded that the song would be a return to her country sound, the track really wasn't. The tune was still firmly in pop territory and ready to grab the hearts of Oscar voters. On Friday, the promised acoustic version was dropped (there is also a piano version), and this is the version that country music fans might like better.

The 2026 World Cup is now fully underway after Mexico opened with a win against South Africa in Mexico City. The concert before the match was epic, and will be difficult to beat, but make no mistake, Canada and the United States are going to try.

Olivia Rodrigo's career will be a fascinating watch. She has now released three albums after dropping you seem pretty sad for a girl so in love this week, but she appears so in control of her career already. The issue sometimes is that an artist who burns extremely bright can dim quickly in the public view. Just 23, Rodrigo could be on the cusp of long-term greatness that makes her a fixture on the pop-rock stage for decades.

For the vast majority of the globe's population, temperatures are rising, and the heat of summer is just around the corner. With that comes an immediate uptick in bug spray, grilling, and of course, spending time cooling off by the water. Having the right music to meet the moment is essential, and auxing a day at the pool is no exception. If you want to enhance the summer vibe, you've got to be deliberate with what you play.

There are only so many sounds, of course, and only so many ways of making those sounds come together. Sure, a jazz great will come up with something that seems unique, but the notes have probably been played before. This is important as it relates to Elvis Costello and Olivia Rodrigo.

The Rolling Stones are releasing their new album, Foreign Tongues, on July 10. Along with that, they will be delivering five editions of vinyl that would be a dream for Marvel Comics fans. Would one want five different editions of the same Stones album? Maybe in this case. According to the band's social media platforms, the Marvel vinyls will each feature a superhero. The list includes Spider-Man, Wolverine, Captain America, Thore, and the Hulk.